


A Plastic Prison

by bluecryptid



Category: Gorillaz
Genre: Abuse, Drug Use, Gen, I don't ever see noodle and Russel in phase 3 fics so here you go, No shipping here, On Melancholy Hill, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Phase Three (Gorillaz), cyborg noodle starts to get feelings, im bad at names, just because I can't ship them, mentions of abuse, mentions of drug use, murdoc is a dick, not for anyone just feelings, plastic beach, rhinestone eyes, stylo, this pretty much follows phase 3 canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-24
Updated: 2017-11-23
Packaged: 2019-01-22 13:14:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12482416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluecryptid/pseuds/bluecryptid
Summary: He now stood at the island’s edge watching the sky, and then glancing down at the water below. There’s no telling if that cursed whale knew he was up there. He knew Murdoc payed the whale to torment him. How he payed a whale, he still was not sure.A breeze rolled past, ruffling his blue hair. It was oddly peaceful, but anything could go wrong at any moment. Still, it was nice to enjoy the precious tranquility while it lasted. He sat down criss cross style on the edge, making sure his feet didn’t touch the water.‘It would be good to be back home.’ He thought to himself. ‘But where is home?’ He then decided it would be good to be anywhere other than this island. Anywhere else.





	1. 1

**10:00 AM**

The sounds of the ocean echoed outside his window. He was sitting on the bed, curled up in fear. He’d only been down there for a few days this time. Maybe two, maybe three. It was hard to tell. The only way he could tell the time was based on how light or dark the water outside his window was, but even then, he couldn’t bare to look out the window. It lurked there, taunting him with it’s singsong calls, watching him cower. It rarely ever left. All it did was watch him. Stu knew it was waiting for the perfect time to snatch him up.

He’d had some food before he was locked in the basement again. It was enough to get him by. He didn’t have any pills, though. No painkillers. Nothing to pass the time. He did, however, have a small bottle of water. It was almost empty. Stuart looked at it in dismay. He wasn’t sure how long he’d be stuck in the underwater room, so it was best to conserve supplies. The thirst was eating at him, but he promised himself he wouldn’t drink anymore unless he needed to. He was dehydrated and underwater, which was quite ironic.

There was a series of faint footsteps outside. He froze. It was either Murdoc or the cyborg, and none of them sound appealing at the moment, though he would gladly deal with cyborg over Murdoc any day. It was odd, a fake copy of his friend. It looked so much like her, but the machine’s cold demeanor could never match the original Noodle’s playful attitude.

The footsteps grew louder, until they were right at his door. Stu hoped with all his will that it was not Murdoc.  
The lock jingled, and a shadow stood in the small crack under the door. The door creaked open. The lanky man looked up, hoping it was someone who had come to save him. It was not.

Murdoc emerged from the hallway, stepping into the underwater basement sloppily. He seemed only half-drunk this time, if it was even possible. He looked over at Stu, meeting his eyes. They were white with panic. Murdoc felt some pity for the man, but quickly pushed those feelings down. Behind him was the counterfeit Noodle, who often acted like the man’s shadow.

“ _Shhit, Dents_ …” he rambled, looking in disbelief at the man on the bed. “How long did I leave ya’ down here this time?”  
Stuart didn’t answer him.

“The last time you came down here approximately three days ago, master.” Cyborg stated.

“It’s been… three days… huh…” Murdoc grumbled. “Eh, You’ve had worse.”

The blue haired man pulled his legs closer to him, staring at the floor. He had, it’s true, but that doesn’t mean it was any more okay.

The satanist approached Stu, not an expression on his face. Stuart curled up tighter, fear gripping him entirely. Murdoc yanked 2D’s arm toward him, causing the singer to yelp. He examined his arm closely.

“Damn, this is the skinniest I’ve seen ya. When was the last time I fed you?”

Stuart was shaking. “L-last week.” his voice was high pitched with terror. The last time Murdoc visited, he had beaten him so horribly.

“Gave me a biscuit. Two days before that, you gave me some dinner.” He couldn’t remember anything before that point, and he was afraid Murdoc would lash out at him if he said any more.

“Ah, I remember...Where did all these bruises come from?” he mumbled, still holding Stu’s frail arm. He gave no response, still shaking.

“According to my scan, the bruises appear to be from blunt force, most likely a physical attack.”  
The dark haired man let go, and Stuart pulled back, whimpering slightly. He couldn’t bring himself to look into the bassist’s eyes. Murdoc was quiet for a brief moment.

“I should get you something to eat… Can’t starve my songbird. What do ya say?”

Silence.

Murdoc frowned. “Alright then…” he turned to look at the andriod. “Oi, Cyborg. Bring Dents here some food.”

Cyborg saluted, then wandered off. Her heavy footsteps could be heard long after she was out of sight. However, Murdoc didn’t leave with her. He leaned against the wall near Stu’s bed. Stu scooted away from him. Murdoc grunted in response.

“I’m not gonna hurt you this time.” There was a pause. “I just wanted to talk.”

Stu buried his head in his hands. He hadn’t felt this much stress in a while. He was sure Murdoc was lying.

“I gotta go out today. Guest artist is refusing to come, so I need to round ‘em up.”

Stu glanced up at him slightly. He was… capturing guest artists? Were they in the same situation as him?

“Oh, don’t worry about them. They’re treated well. I let ‘em go when we’re done recording. They appreciate working on our album. Who wouldn’t? Gorillaz is the best band on the face of the Earth!”

Stuart looked back down at the floor. So he wasn’t the only one that has to deal with this.

“I know you’ve been down here for a while…” Murdoc rambled on. He pulled out a cigarette, lighting it with a match. He inhaled it’s toxins, then blew out the smoke. “Just know that it’s for your safety. If I didn’t put you down here, you’d screw up, and the Black Cloud would kill you. I’ve been fighting them off for the past three days, and I’ve been victorious once more. But they’ll return again, and the cycle goes on…” He took another puff of his cigarette. “So, you should be thanking me. I work my ass off to keep you safe, and to keep us rich. Without me, you’re nothing.” He failed to mention that he was, in fact, nothing without the singer as well.

Cyborg stood at the door, holding a fresh white, porcelain plate of hot food. Stuart had not heard her return, despite her footsteps being so loud. The small wafted through the room, warm and savory. He glanced over at Murdoc, expecting him to deny him any food, even though he requested the food for Stu. Cyborg brought the plate to him, holding it out stiffly. It was a warm sandwich with a side of soup. 2D stared at it anxiously. He wondered if it had been poisoned. It was too suspicious.

“Just take the bloody food!” Murdoc commanded impatiently. Stuart whimpered and quickly grabbed the food. He doubted Cyborg would poison it, but he was still wary. Cyborg wouldn’t think to do it unless Murdoc commanded her to. He took a small bite, which tasted like heaven after having only a biscuit three days prior. He was tempted to devour the entire thing immediately, but decided against it. Murdoc stared at him the entire time, causing him to feel an awkward discomfort.

He took another bite. He didn’t know exactly what was in it, but he was too hungry to care. Soon, one bite melted into the other, and the food was gone completely.

Murdoc was still in the room, watching him. Stu began to wonder if he wanted something from him. The lanky man met his eyes for a moment, before realizing what he had done, and looked down at the floor once more.

“Better now, faceache?”

Stuart nodded with little enthusiasm. The anxiety came crawling back. He’d lost it in a brief moment while he was eating. Now it threatened to spill over.

“Good.” he grimaced. “I’m going to head out now. Cyborg, follow me.” he turned around and walked out of the room, cyborg Noodle close behind.

He shut the door, but strangely, he forgot to lock it. Perhaps he was preoccupied with whatever he was going to do, but he always made sure to lock it behind him.

Stuart decided he would wait until he was sure Murdoc was gone before he made his move. He laid down on the bed, hoping to fall asleep. It was his only way of killing time.

He sat there under the blankets. He knew Murdoc didn’t care for him, but maybe he was doing this for his safety. Maybe he would mess everything up, and get everyone killed if he wasn’t locked up. Maybe…

Stu pulled the cover closer to him. The whale outside hummed threateningly. He shuddered. There really was no escaping the island. He had nowhere to go, even if he did. So he would just sat there in the basement as long as his kidnapper needed, withering away.  
\-----  
He was drowning, and he didn’t know why. Sunlight shimmered down on him, fractured from the choppy waves. He felt something wrapping around his leg, long claws digging into his flesh. It was pulling him down, further into the endless black water below. He kicked desperately, trying to shake himself free. But the thing would not let go, it’s grip tightening with each kick. The sunlight above was getting further and further away, and the water around him became darker and dIarker. His lungs burned, screaming for air. It was as if he was being choked. He reached his hand to the sky, before he was pulled into the darkness.

He couldn’t see. His lungs burned. Stu couldn’t take it anymore. He gasped for air, expecting salty water to fill his nose and lungs. Instead, he could breath just fine. It must be a dream, he reasoned to himself. He’d only had nightmares since he arrived in this hell. But this was the first time that he’d been aware that he was in a dream.

In the back of his mind lurked the feeling of fear, crawling through his body.

Something is wrong.

A shrill song echoed through the water, menacing and cold. It chilled his very soul, anxiety creeping up his spine. It continued, coming for everywhere and nowhere simultaneously. Then, there was a dreadful moment of silence. It seemed to last forever as he waited for the beast to show itself.

He felt something huge ram into his side. He screamed in fear and pain, unable to comprehend what just happened. Immediately, the world melted around him. He blinked open his dark eyes, feeling as if he hadn’t slept at all. He wondered how long he’d been asleep. Stuart guessed that it was around 11:00 am, based on how light the water outside was. It was probably closer to 11:30. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. He’d never sleep well again, would he? It was all because of that bastard, and his goddamn album.

**10:45 AM, 45 minutes prior**

Murdoc was hastily shoving supplies into a small bag. He was getting ready for his next endeavor, dubbed “Operation Save The Album”. He shoved a bag of chips into the fabric container, then three bottles of white rum. It would be a somewhat long journey back to the UK, but it shouldn’t take more than a day with his method of transportation. The fastest way was a helicopter that he stole. It could hold up to four people, which was perfect for him to have his own leg room at the front, and there would be enough room to lay down the unconscious guest in the back.

“Master,” Cyborg greeted, her face expressionless. “Do you require assistance, or would you prefer me to stay behind?”

Murdoc thought for a brief moment, before replying, “No, I need you to stay behind. I need you to keep an eye on good ol’ faceache, and protect the island in case the Black Cloud come back.” he paused, “ You know those pirates are after my ass, I can’t leave this place unprotected. Not even for a split second.”

“Yes, Master.” Cyborg replied, with no sign of even comprehending what he said at all.

“You don’t have to call me that all the time. How about just ‘Murdoc’.” he suggested, struggling to close the bag.

“Understood, Master, but my programming won’t allow that.”

“Programming my ass. Didn’t I program you to obey me?” The 44 year old grumbled, getting the bag’s final button to snap shut.

“Affirmative.” she replied, then paused. “Do you have any specific requests for me while you are gone, Master?”

“Clean up the kitchen a bit, and get Stuart some water. I want him to be able to sing later. I’m almost done writing the third song for the album, and I need his beautiful voice.”

Cyborg nodded, before heading back out the door.

Murdoc slung the bag over his shoulder. He made a mental note to check on Stuart when he got back. He took a swig of whiskey, draining the last of the bottle.


	2. 2

**1:06 PM**

 

There was a quiet hallway. Some motors could be heard faintly, along with the faint stench of plastic and trash. The hallway was dimly lit.

Stu emerged from a door in the dark corridor. He closed the door behind him lightly, careful as to not make any noise. It creaked slightly, and he cringed at the noise. Trouble would arise if he was caught, there was no doubt about it. Even though the other man was gone, he could return at any moment, and not to mention there was that damned machine. He wasn’t sure if she was still here, or if she had gone too. Either way, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

He quietly walked down the maze of hallways, his footsteps still noticeable despite his very best efforts. He was drowning in anxiety at the thought of being caught, but being stuck in that room didn’t seem appealing either. He sighed. Even if he could get out of the mansion, and off the island, where else would he go? There is no land for miles and miles. There was only cerulean skies and aquamarine waters as far as his eyes could travel.

He began climbing up some metal stairs, which creaked under his own weight (even though he was very light for his size). He cursed at the stairs mentally, trying to get up them as swiftly as possible without making noise, which was not very quick at all. The stairs ascended upwards in a spiral, and seemed to go on forever. It took him about five minutes to get up the stairs completely.  

When 2D exited the staircase, he turned a sharp corner, knowing that he was almost free of this plastic prison, when he bumped into something smaller than him. When the lanky man looked down, he was met with the cold stare of Noodle. He was almost relieved, until he remembered. She didn’t say anything, she just looked up at him through her dark bangs, holding a gun, which looked ready to fire at the slightest threat.

There was a brief awkward pause. She was waiting for him to say something.

“ ‘ello, uh… I was jus’ about to use the bathroom… I forgot where it was.” he murmured shakily. There was something unnerving about her, and it wasn’t just the fact that she was holding a gun.

“Master locked the room you were in. There should be a bathroom in there.” the machine said, her voice robotic, and oddly like the girl she was made to resemble.

“ ‘ts broken. He… he forgot to lock the door. Please let me go.” he stuttered.

“Go. I will fix the object in question.”

The other Noodle continued staring at him for a moment, before lowering her gun in a military style and began walking off the way Stu came.

He quickened his pace once he was sure she was gone, feeling anxiety crawling up his chest once more. He didn’t stop until he was outside. The stench of old trash hit him right away. He almost gagged at the smell.

It was around noon. Clouds dotted the sky along the horizon line. The endless ocean around him was still a dark shade of blue, but bit of pink and orange reflecting off of it. It was so easy to lose track of time when you’re stuck in an underwater basement. He couldn’t remember the last time he saw the sky. It was probably when Murdoc first brought him here, after he knocked him out and shoved him in a suitcase. (Which was certainly an unforgettable experience.)

2D slowly walked to the edge of the island. Since it floated above the ocean, it wasn’t incredibly still. It swayed constantly, almost like a boat. It was enough to make anyone who doesn’t normally get seasick, well, sick. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been here, but he was almost used to the island’s unusual movement. Almost. It still made him woozy.

He now stood at the island’s edge watching the sky, and then glancing down at the water below. There’s no telling if that cursed whale knew he was up there. He knew Murdoc payed the whale to torment him. How he payed a whale, he still was not sure.

A breeze rolled past, ruffling his blue hair. It was oddly peaceful, but anything could go wrong at any moment. Still, it was nice to enjoy the precious tranquility while it lasted. He sat down criss cross style on the edge, making sure his feet didn’t touch the water.

_‘It would be good to be back home.’_ He thought to himself. _‘But where is home?’_ He then decided it would be good to be anywhere other than this island. Anywhere else.

He glanced towards the wooden dock. There was one boat there, tied to a wooden pole, from what Stuart could tell. His vision was anything but perfect, after all.

He stood up again and stumbled over to the dock. It wasn’t too far away, partially because of the island’s small size, or, at least compared to other natural islands. It was crowded as well, and not to mention, it smelled like plastic and trash.

Stu stood up and looked around for a brief moment, observing the area. He decided it was safe, or as safe as it could be, and began to head for the dock. The dock was wooden, and still new compared to the rest of the dump. It creaked slightly under his feet, but that was about it.

An old, twisted roped tied a single boat to the dock. It swayed with the motion of the waves, which lapped and splashed against the wooden pillars holding the dock. It was wooden, and looked old. The boat didn’t seem to be in the best condition, but looked operable.

Stu placed one foot inside, then the other. Gently, he untied the rope. The boat began to move ever so slightly away from the dock along with the direction of the waves. He sat down on one of the wooden seats, which wasn't entirely comfortable, but it does it's job.

At the back of the boat was a makeshift motor, which was awkwardly screwed into the wood. A bit closer to him was a metal fishing rod, which sat in one of the boat’s many compartments. Under the compartment was a box, which he assumed that it held fishing supplies, such as bait.

He decided he'd try to fish when further out at sea, and cook his catches if he had time. It wouldn't be exactly pleasant, but it would at least keep him alive if he ever gets locked up again. He just hoped that nothing would go wrong. That the whale wouldn't notice him, that he wouldn't he caught, and that he could return without a trace of leaving.

He opened up the box on the floor, revealing several multi-colored fish hooks. There was no live bait, which was understandable, as it would all die in the heat anyway. He picked one, a bright pink one, trying not to prick his finger on any of the hooks’ sharp points. Stuart then attempted to tie fishing line to the hook. He'd never done this before, or at least if he has, he did not remember. So he just guessed, and hoped he was doing something right.

Once he was sure he had the hook on, he dropped the line into the water, and then began unravelling the thin, clear wire using the fishing pole’s crank. He watched it disappear into the dark waters below. Stu wondered how deep the water went. Were there even somewhat normal fish down there? He shivered at the thought of what might lurk in the darkness below.  

2D let himself drift further out to sea, but not too far. It was best to keep the island in sight. Even though being stuck there with an abusive drunk and a copy of his friend sucked, dying a slow, agonizing death at sea was not preferable. He'd rather wait until Murdoc was done with him, or at least die a quick death. All of his options seemed too slow, and he was sure he would never have the courage to drown himself.

The black eyed man leaned back. It would be awhile before he caught anything. Why not relax and enjoy the temporary freedom? He knew deep down he still wasn't exactly free; if he were free, he could just leave.

He didn't know if he'd ever be free of the man who ruined his life. Yeah, sure, he was famous. He really did love all his fans, Noodle, and Russel, but being with Murdoc had brought so much pain. Just about every bad thing in his life was because of him. And now this.

He wondered how much longer he'd have to stay at plastic beach. The bassist mentioned he was almost done with the third song, and that he'd need 2D to sing later.

Stuart just wanted the album to be done already, then hopefully he'd be let go. He just wanted to go back to making his own music in peace.

 

**6:15 PM, No Man’s Land**

 

The fishing pole attached to the boat began to bend slightly, creaking enough to wake the sleeping figure. Stu glanced at it drowsily, and moved over towards it. There was a tug again, and the line began unreeling. He rushed to grab it, but before he could, the fishing pole toppled over the side of the boat, the bottom hitting him in the face. He stumbled back, leaning against the opposite side of the boat, causing the boat to sway from side to side slightly.

He groaned, rubbing his head. It had hit him on the chin, and now it stung like hell. He hadn’t brought any painkillers with him, and there would be none in his room. There wasn’t a way to dull it. Not to mention, he now had no way of catching his own food. Diving into the water to catch fish would be a mistake. It could never work, he only had his bare hands, and not to mention, it lurked down there.

He sighed, sitting on the boat’s wooden floor, rocking gently with the waves. _‘Murdoc could be back soon’,_ he realized suddenly. He didn’t know how long he’d been out. Maybe three hours, maybe five. He glanced up at the sky. It looked to be about six or seven. He guessed that Murdoc left after coming in to check on him, which was hours ago. Murdoc probably wouldn’t be home until tomorrow, traveling from point nemo all the way to the UK would take over sixteen hours just to get there. And that was by air, if he had gone by sea, it would have been even longer.

Stuart decided that even if Murdoc wouldn’t get home until tomorrow, it would be better to head back. He was thirsty, after all. He’d sat in the heat for hours. He could probably sneak some pills back with him without cyborg noticing, too. 2D hadn’t had any in over a week, and he was having withdraws.

He stumbled over to the boat’s motor, and examined it, trying to figure out how to turn it on. It looked very old, like someone had sprinkled rust over it. After a moment, he noticed a small switch. He flicked it on, and the motor began to stutter and rumble. Slowly, the motor’s purr became more steady. On the side of the motor was a lever that jutted out awkwardly. It looked like it could be moved from left to right. Stu decided to test this by pushing the lever to the left. The metal creaked, and the boat lurched to the right. He let out a scream of surprise, holding on to the boat for support. He desperately tried pushing the scrap of metal to the right. The boat moved to the left, back towards the beach that sat off in the distance, towering unnaturally above the water.

Stuart thought he imagined it at first, but he thought he heard the subtle hum of an aircraft approaching the island. He turned off the motor, then paused. Sure enough, he was sure he heard some sort of aircraft, and it was getting quite loud. He glanced around the sky in front of him. Nothing. He quickly turned around. A large jet black helicopter was heading right at him, it’s blades whirring in a dark blur. He panicked and fell back, tripping over the side of the boat as it lurched under the sudden weight.

His back hit the cool water. He felt panic as the water engulfed him. Everything was a blur, struggling to reach the surface, catching his breath, and realizing that his boat hat flipped over. Stu felt his shoes weighing him down and his clothes sagging as he tread water. He coughed up some water that had gotten in his lungs. The salt stung his throat.

2D tried to push the boat over using all of his strength, which of course, wasn’t much. The old, soggy wood was quite heavy, and slippery. Small barnacles were growing along the boat’s bottom, which didn’t really do much to aid him. He grunted as he pushed on the boat again. It moved, but not enough. The panic still had not gone away, in fact, now it was worse. Who knows what was in the water around him? Sharks, toothed fish, whales? And he was sure Murdoc had saw him. He gave one last shove. The boat flipped over. Stuart was surprised he’d even been able to do that. Now he just had to climb into the boat.

He grabbed the boat’s side. It leaned under his weight, but not severely. After all, he didn’t weigh much. He placed his foot on the wet wood, and it slipped off. He tried placing his foot on the top of the boat’s side, which was awkward, but it was worth a shot. He then pulled himself into the boat, landing on his side.  He was thankful for his long legs.

Stuart glanced at the sky. The helicopter was gone now, it had probably landed on the island. He assumed it was Murdoc returning with the new guest artist. Murdoc would need to lock up the guest before coming for him.

 

**6:23 PM, Plastic Beach**

 

“Wha’ in the bloody hell was that?!” Murdoc grumbled as he got out of his aircraft, cyborg waiting for him.

“What are you referring to, Master?” Cyborg spoke, her voice glitching mid-sentence.

“That!” Murdoc pointed out into the ocean. “Did you let him out?!?” he questioned angrily. Cyborg glanced in the direction the bassist was pointing. Stuart could not be seen from that point with the naked eye, but the andriod knew exactly what he was talking about.

“Negative, Master. I was informed he was going to use the restroom. The one in his room did not function properly. I made sure to fix it.”

Murdoc slammed the helicopter’s door shut. “And you didn’t realize that, eh, I don’t know, he wasn’t _there_?”

“My instructions were to get him some water, clean the kitchen, and watch for the Black Cloud. I was not able to watch 2D, as you did not command me to.”

Murdoc groaned in irritation. “Then set a task to keep on eye on that idiot daily. I’ave more _important_ things to worry about than him.”

“Task set. Would you like me to retrieve him?” the cyborg questioned, expressionless as ever.

“No,  I'll do it... I want you to show our guest here around.” he smiled a menacing grin. “I need my songbird now, anyways. Can’t record the album without our vocalist, eh?”

Cyborg stared at him for a moment, as if questioning him, before opening the door and escorted, or, more like dragged the guest artist out. Murdoc watched until they both disappeared, leaning against the wall, smoking a cigarette. He needed it. Keeping Dents under control and keeping him alive was stressful. If he weren’t so dumb, maybe it would be easier, but he couldn’t replace the singer with a cyborg. It was too late for that, and no robot could produce a singing voice as beautiful as his. However, the thought of having a 2D that wasn’t a stupid mess was pleasant.

Murdoc dropped the remains of his cigarette on the plastic floor, then crushed it with his foot to put out it’s glow. He’d make sure Dents never pulled any stunts like this again. He’d been surprised by the fact that the singer would even dare doing that. He’d always been a coward, and would never fight back. This time should be no different.

By the time he had made it out to the dock, the sun was beginning to set, casting an orange glow over the sea and island. The pink plastic seemed to glow a vibrant orange, and looked much less, well, shitty than usual. The man decided that it would be a great representation of Plastic Beach, and that’s what the world should see. The next thing he noticed was that all three of the boats were there. Not a single one was missing. One was soaking wet, but there.

_‘How’s he out there?’_ the bassist thought, glancing out at the waves. Then, it occurred to him that maybe he wasn’t out there, or at least not anymore. There was a faint shuffling sound coming from behind him to his right. He turned to see what it was. 2D was trying to sneak past him back to the mansion.

“Sweet Satan, what are you doing out here?!” Murdoc yelled. The singer tensed up, then slowly turned around.

“I…” he faltered.

“You’re supposed to be in the basement! How did ya get out?!”

The blue haired man looked incredibly nervous. “Well, I-I jus’,” he stuttered. “You lef’ the door unlocked, an’ I…” he trailed off, glancing at the pinkish sand.

“You _what_?” the satanist grimaced.

“I lef’.”

Murdoc made a noise similar to growling, as if irritated. “I need ya to record something, anyway.” He grabbed 2D’s hand and began walking back to the mansion. The lanky man yelped at the sudden action, and stumbled along behind the shorter man. "You're gonna pay for this later." 

They entered the recording studio. Some instruments were scattered around, and there were some empty beer bottles on the floor, but other than that, it was relatively clean. A microphone stood in the center of the room towards the front. 

“This is the fourth song, I need ya t' sing it…”


	3. 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi sorry for not updating in a while please love me okkkk

 

**7:40 PM**

 

It took about an hour to record everything, which was longer than usual. Murdoc would drink and yell at Stuart if he did anything other than what he wanted, or if he didn’t sing the way Murdoc wanted. He was returned to his room by Cyborg Noodle at Murdoc’s command. 2D glanced at her warily. She marched along the corridor, her face blank. He wondered if there was any of the original Noodle left in her. Murdoc had mentioned that he used some of Noodle’s DNA that he found at the crash site, surely she must have some memories deep down? That sweet, kickass girl must be in there somewhere.

“D’ya remember tha time when you arrived at Kong inna Fed Ex box? And ya jumped out and played yer guitar? I was jus’ thinkin’ about tha… Or when ya beat up all those zombies? N’ all those times we played video games togetha? D’ya remember tha?”

Cyborg glanced over at him, then looked back ahead. “I’m sorry, Stuart, but I share none of Noodle’s memories. I cannot recall them on my own. I only have the ones Master programmed me with.”

Stu stared at the ground for a moment, then perked up again. “But he made ya with her DNA, you should be able to remember somethin’?” Cyborg still did not look at him. “Well, I bet ya can if you try.”

“I’m afraid that’s not how DNA works. According to my database, DNA is a nucleic acid that aids in cell development. It determines an individual’s characteristics, such as eye and hair color.” she stated. “It is theorized that DNA can hold memories, but the theory states that they are not accessible, and are more like instincts from ancestors than actual memories.”

“Oh.. alrigh’ then.” he murmured. Stuart didn’t understand much of what she said, but he understood the message. She didn’t remember much from Noodle. He wanted to ask about the so called ‘memories’ the bassist programmed her with, but decided against it. Maybe they weren’t even Noodle’s memories at all.

They walked the rest of the way in silence. The counterfeit Noodle opened the door for Stuart to enter. Hesitantly, with his head down, he did. He turned back to the cyborg.

“Promise me you won’ let me die in here?”

“My programming does not allow me to make promises, but I will check on you daily and nourish you at Master’s command.”

“...Okay.” he paused. “Can ya stay down here for a moment? I jus’ wan’ someone ta talk to. Murdoc isn’ any company, he’s always drunk n’ he beats me… I only ‘ave these ol’ movies down ‘ere wif me.”

“I’m afraid I cannot, unless Master gives me more free will. I will return tomorrow at three p.m.” And with that, she closed the door. Stu heard the lock jingle, and her footsteps fade, until there was nothing but the sounds of the ocean and the dark room around him.

 

**7:50 PM**

 

Murdoc leaned back in his chair, making weird Murdoc noises as he did so. He’d written about seven total songs for the album so far, and planned on having at least seven more. Maybe about sixteen. He was desperate to get it done, but not too desperate, because Plastic Beach was like paradise to him. He had everything he’d always wanted. He’d bring in prostitutes from time to time, he had his own robot daughter, he could play his bass as loud as he wanted without anyone yelling at him (not that he cared much about their complaints anyway), and he had all the booze he could dream of. Plus, living in the middle of the ocean away from most of humanity was pleasurable.

He would never admit it, but he did feel quite lonely. Having only a cyborg for company and some guest artists didn’t fill the void in his soul. He assumed it was because he didn’t have a soul, or at least not anymore. So, he drank to fill the void. Not many prostitutes were willing to come to the most desolate place on Earth, that option was off the table for the most part. On days when he did have them, it boosted his mood significantly. Sex was a form of escapism to him. Another thing he would never admit he despised about plastic beach was the smell. Since the island was made of trash that came together into one massive heap over the course of the last century, it didn’t smell nice. And then there was the pirates… Who knew when they would come back.

He decided the public shouldn’t know about most of Plastic Beach’s faults. They would have to film music videos, though. As usual, Jamie Hewlett promised he’d take care of it. What he had in mind, Murdoc wasn’t sure. Jamie was just like that; elusive, rarely intervened, but always seemed to know what was happening and when. At some points, Murdoc wondered if he was actually a fictional character created by Jamie playing some sort of twisted game for the amusement of the public. He brushed the thought away, and took a sip of some alcohol he’d found lying around. The bassist didn’t care that he was almost always drunk, probably because he was, in fact, drunk. It made him feel good, so he didn’t care.

“Master, I have detected unusual movement from the East.”

Murdoc groaned. “Do ya have ta’ call me that every time?” Cyborg just stared at him. “Okay, so ya do. What kind of movement is it? Is it those bloody pirates?”

“No. It’s something else. It is very large, about the size of Plastic Beach.”

Murdoc glanced out the window. He looked very serious all of a sudden. “I think I know what it is… I’ve been watching it for weeks now with a telescope. Can’t see ‘em with the naked eye yet. He’s out there, getting closer.”

“Who is this ‘he’?”

Murdoc turned to look at her. He smiled. “An old friend.”

Cyborg tilted her head, as if she was curious. “Would you like me to upgrade our security measures?”

Murdoc shook his head, looking back out the window. “No. Let him come. Maybe she’s with him.” He stared out there for a moment longer.

Cyborg watched him. A part of her wondered who he was talking about.

 

**3:00 PM**

 

Cyborg undid the lock on Stuart’s door, and slammed it open. She heard a scream from inside. Maybe she startled him. When she entered, she noticed Stu cowering on his bed. When he saw her, he looked slightly less anxious, as if he was relieved.

“Oh… ‘s just you…” he murmured. “Can I get some water?”

“I placed some in a storage container under your bed. Why do you ask?”

“M’ very thirsty… I ‘aven’t had anythin’ to drink since yesterday before recording. Thanks fo’ tellin’ me…” He got up and dug around under the bed, and eventually pulled out a bottle of water. He struggled to get the cap off, turning it desperately. It wouldn’t budge. After a moment, the singer looked back at the cyborg. He held out the bottle expectantly. “...Can ya’ open if fo’ me?”

The girl took the bottle, and wrapped her metallic fingers around the lid. The tightened her grip and turned it. The lid fell off, and the bottle was crumbled at the top. She looked back at 2D. He looked frightened, but he also looked like he was trying to hide it. “

S’ okay… I can still drink it. Thank you.” he took the bottle and dumped half of the clear liquid into his mouth. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve, then glanced at Cyborg. She was watching him with interest. Stuart still felt slightly intimidated by her, so tried to think of something to say to avoid an awkward silence.

“It’s kinda warm, the water... ‘s alright though. I’ll take anythin’ I can get.” There was another pause. Stu sat back down on his bed, then looked around, avoiding eye contact.

“You wondered if I remembered anything from Noodle last night.”

Stuart instantly looked up at her, his black eyes wide.

“I still don’t remember, but I was wondering if you could tell me about her. Master went into a strange state last night, and I figured me being more like Noodle would make him feel relief.”

Another pause. The singer sighed. He looked very somber, Cyborg noted. She was aware her counterpart was a sensitive topic, but was unaware of the full extent.

“You said she came in something called a ‘Fed Ex’ box?”

“Yeh,” 2D murmured. “she did. Our lives changed fo’ the better that day… Russel saw ‘er as his child. I though’ of her like a sister. Murdoc… eh, he was like… the weird uncle.” he took another sip of his water. “She was amazing at guitar from tha start. Didn’ know much English tho’. She’d make bets with Del, Russel’s ghost frien’. She’d even try ta paint Murdoc’s nails pink. She also wrote mos’ of our previous album, and made her own music video.” the blue haired man smiled fondly at the memories. But then his smile faded. “And then Murdoc put ‘er on the windmill island... T‘was for a music video. The black cloud were followin’ ‘er, shot the island from the sky with her in it…” tears began to form in his dark eyes. He sniffled. “We didn’ see a parachute or anythin’. Months later, Murdoc returned to the crash site to look for ‘er. , but he found nothin’ but some DNA, and used it ta make you.”

“Interesting. I was never told about Noodle. Only that I came from her. Why are you sad?” She questioned, nonchalant.

Stuart wiped his eyes and muttered a “Huh?”.

“Your body is emitting a strong emotional response. Why is that?”

Stu stared at the floor again. “I loved Noodle. She… she was like a sister ta me.”

The cyborg looked interested. “But how does this correlate with the stimuli you are experiencing?”

“I… I don’ know… It jus’ does.”

“Interesting. You humans are more complicated than I originally thought.”

Stuart sniffled some more. “Hey…” he murmured. “I don’ want to be alone again, do you wan’ to watch a zombie film wif me?”

Cyborg paused, as if thinking. “Master has no commands for me as of right now. I guess I have some time to spare. What is a ‘zombie film’?”

The singer reached down and pulled up a dusty movie case from the floor. “Itsa movie, but with zombies.”

“I do not quite understand, but you may proceed.” 2D opened the movie case and stood up. He walked over to an old t.v, and pulled the disk out of the case, then placed the movie in a DVD player. The screen was staticy. Nothing happened. He glanced over at cyborg, who sat cross-legged on the floor. She watched the screen intensely. Suddenly, the static started to fade, cutting out into that booming loud “COMING SOON TO DVD AND HOME VIDEO” thing that played before some movies.

“Ih worked!” Stuart cheered. He was worried for a moment, because around cyborg, cable television didn’t work. He knew this because he heard Murdoc grumbling about it. Perhaps it was different for movies.

The video's intro cut out, revealing a small, stereotypical four person family. They were living a normal life, when suddenly, a news broadcast came on about how the zombie apocalypse was starting. They called friends, and a bunch of people you would usually find in movies like this show up. They stocked up on water and food and made weapons, but one by one they all died anyways, eaten by zombies. Cyborg did not change her facial expression or position throughout the entire movie. Even at the really bloody and gory parts. She just stared, expressionless. She was probably scarier than the actual movie, soaking up all the information like a robotic sponge. The video cut, and the credits rolled.

“Did ya like it?” Stuart asked. Cyborg was still watching the credits.

“It was interesting. Watching these movies helps me learn about you humans. Why are you so interested in these ‘zombies’? From what I understand, they are living corpses. I do not understand why you enjoy them so much.”

“I don’ know, they’re jus cool.” Stu shrugged. “I like tha idea of it… not it actually happenin’, but the, what's the word fo’ it... concept! I like the concept.”

“I need to go now. I did not realize that would take up so much time.” she stood up.

“Okay… G’bye, I guess.” Stu mumbled. He wrapped his arms around his legs and watched the cyborg leave once more.

Cyborg closed the door and locked it. There really wasn’t a reason to keep him locked up anymore, the Black Cloud haven’t been spotted in a while. The pirates had made a strategic retreat after one of their best fighters had been shot down, they wouldn’t be back for another few days. Murdoc knew this, too, but he probably just didn’t want to see the singer. Cyborg Noodle had realized that there was something about his existence that made Murdoc angry. She was unsure as to why, perhaps she could ask later. Murdoc always seemed to be drunk or sad, sometimes both. She did not question it- it was normal for her.

She decided she’d take the elevator up to Murdoc this time, it was a much faster route than the stairs. When she reached Murdoc’s room, he was sitting at a desk, writing something down. He dropped his pen when he saw her.

“Why tha’ bloody hell are you so late!?” he asked. “You were jus’ supposed to check on ‘em, not have a sleepover!”

“Stuart showed me a movie.” she said, unfazed by Murdoc’s anger. Murdoc facepalmed, then groaned.

“It was one of those zombie movies, wasn’ it?”

“Affirmative.” “I don’ want ya takin’ in that dumb shit.”

“Do you not wish for me to spend time with him?”

“No, not wif’ him. Spend enough time with ‘em, and you’ll start to act like ‘em. One 2D is bad enough.”

“What is so bad about 2D? I do not understand why you despise him.”

Murdoc growled. “He’s annoying, needy, and he messes everythin’ up. You, my dear, are efficient, independent, an’ strong.”

“Why is he still locked down there?”

Murdoc raised an eyebrow. “He is?”

“My memory says yes. Target ‘Stuart’ was last seen locked in the basement.”

He grunted an acknowledgement. “I’ll have to fix that later… Set a reminder in two hours for me, okay?” He picked up his pen and began writing again.

“Reminder set. Would you like me to get you some food?” “No. I’ll be a’right. Go on, do your robot stuff.” he shooed her away. She noted that it was strange behavior from him, but dismissed it instantly. Questioning her master was off limits. He knew what was best.


	4. 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter this time, okay? Okay.

**7:00 PM, No Man’s Land, Pacific Ocean**

 

The ship was going down. Bullets flew left and right, but everything happened so slowly. Noodle aimed at one of the two planes circling her, firing an endless stream of bullets. The plane fell from the sky, and became engulfed by the dark sea below. Next, she aimed at the last aircraft, whose pilot didn’t seem deterred by the fact that she had shot down his partner. She stood her ground, the ammunition from her final opponent piercing through the cruise ship’s deck. The plane dropped a bomb. In the same moment she shot the plane from the sky, running to jump off the ship. Debris flew everywhere, something hit her head seconds before she fell into the water. Flames licked at the spot she stood seconds before.

She swam through the dark, cold water, away from the ship, adrenaline masking any pain she felt. There was a raft up ahead. The purple haired girl broke the surface, gasping for air. She hauled herself onto the yellow raft, and laid down on it’s plastic floor. She tried to catch her breath, staring up at the clear orange and red sunset. Once she felt relieved, she glanced at her surroundings. Next to her lay a guitar, which she assumed had been left of the raft by the people who were on it previously. There was also a large satchel. In the distance, the boat sank into the ocean slowly.

_‘There are people on that boat.’_ Noodle realized suddenly, but it was too late. The raft she was on had drifted further out to sea. She watched as it sank, taking people down with it. A few lifeboats were scattered around the wreck, floating in the opposite direction. There were about ten, but she couldn’t tell how many people were on each. Based on the position of the sun, she was drifting east, and they were heading west.

_‘They should be okay.’_ she reasoned. _‘Someone must have signaled for help.’_ She watched as the boats in the distance became smaller and smaller. Now, she had to worry about herself. She was fine right now, aside from her head, but would she be fine until help came? Noodle sat up and opened the satchel, the examined its contents. Inside was at least twelve bottles of water and some dried food. Just enough to last a short while, probably about thirteen days at most. There was also a note. It was hard to read, her vision was becoming blurry.

_‘In case of emergency, please distribute these to everyone currently on the raft._

_Thank you, Staff’_

She was unsure how many people they wanted to put on this thing. Twelve bottles of water would only last so long in this heat, even among a group of five people. Perhaps they thought they would never need to put people on lifeboats.

The moment Noodle got on board the ship she was putting everyone in danger. She knew this very well, but hiding among a large group of people would make it harder for them to find her. She had not taken into consideration that they would sink the ship and possibly kill many people just to kill her, but now that she looked back on it, it was incredibly likely.At the moment, she was an easy target. No gun, no defenses, no where to run, drifting aimlessly in the world’s largest ocean.

She laid back down on the plastic floor, feeling herself sink into the raft’s bottom. Her eye stung. She reached up and touched her face. She winced and jerked her hand away. Blood stained the tips of her white gloves. There was no way to treat the wound, it was better to let in naturally heal. She felt light headed, and drowsy. Which was odd- she was a super soldier made to withstand this, but she couldn’t help but feel like shit. She closed her eyes, and pulled her mask over her face. The raft swayed gently with the waves.

‘I could have prevented this,’ she thought. ‘But there’s no going back now’.

 

**1:00 PM**

 

The waves picked up suddenly, causing her to stir from her sleep. She sat up, lifted up her mask, and glanced around. There was something huge in the water, and it was coming towards her. Suddenly, she felt the raft being lifted into the air. She looked down. There was a big brown bulge, seaweed scattered across it. As it lifted higher, she saw what looked like a shirt underneath it, as if she was on the head of some giant human.

The thing reached a huge hand in her direction. She ducked as it picked up the raft, lifting her off of it’s head. When she was sure she had stopped moving, she looked up at it. A familiar face peered back. Noodle stared in shock. How could it be? Had fate been this kind to bring them together? Or was she having some strange, pain-induced dream?

“Russel?” she asked in disbelief.

“Noodle?” He returned, equally shocked. “What happened to you?” Noodle asked, staring at her enlarged father figure. “I'll tell you later, we have a lot to talk about.” he gently picked her up out of the raft and placed her on his head. “First, what happened to you? Everyone thought you were dead.”

Noodle sighed. Russel began to swim forward at a steady pace. “I was in Hell for a few years. I don't know how I got there, but I was. They treated me like shit… I didn't know what to do. I somehow managed to escape, and fled to Japan. There, I was hunted by demons. Once you enter Hell, you aren't supposed to leave. I didn't know this, so you can imagine I was shocked when I first encountered a demon. It took me by surprise, and managed to get me good before I could send it back to where it came from. I tried to escape, and ended up on a ship. The ship was attacked by pirates, and was sunken. I managed to get out in time, and now my head hurts like hell...”

“Baby girl, I'm so sorry…”

“Don't be, it's not your fault.” she smiled, then looked furious. “I think I know exactly who was behind this.”

“Don't worry, I was just on my way to kick his ass.”

“Good. By why the ocean? I mean, why are you swimming through the Pacific to find him?”

“It's quite the story. Murdoc built his new HQ on a floating plastic island. It's at Point Nemo, the most desolate location on Earth. Which actually doesn't surprise me, but still.”

“That… sounds like something he would do. Is toochi there?” Noodle asked, curious about her brother.

“Yeah, I think so. If Murdoc’s up to some shit, then he probably needs him for vocals.”

“Wouldn't he need us, too, though?” the guitarist questioned. She knew what the answer probably was.

At first, Russel didn't respond. Then, he spoke. “I think he could replace us if he really wanted to. You know him. He has his ways.”

“Yeah. You're right…” Noodle sighed. “I just hope toochi is okay. I know Murdoc often gets mad at him, I wonder how he's holding up.”

“I bet he's okay. Murdoc can be a piece of shit, but he would never let his pretty boy singer go to waste. And ‘D is strong, he can get through it. He's dealt with him in the past, he can take him now.”

“I hope so. By the way, you still haven't told me why you're so big.”

“Yeah, I guess I owe you that. It’s my thyroid.” Noodle raised an eyebrow.

“...Are you sure that's the whole truth? I don't think your thyroid makes you grow fifty feet tall.”

“You got me. I think I ate some toxic waste along the way here. And then my thyroid helped.”

“Okay. Thyroid and toxic waste. That's a little better. I still don't quite see how that could do it, but so much has happened to me that I'm not going to question it.”

“I've learned to just accept it. Being possessed by dead rappers makes you stop questioning these things.” he muttered, smiling in sympathy.

Noodle laughed softly, for the first time in what seemed like ages. “I can only imagine. I’ve only encountered demons, I’ve never been inhabited by one. How do you do it? How do you stay strong through all this?”

“Perseverance, baby girl. If you stay strong through the bad times, you can enjoy the good times.”


	5. 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating this in a while, have a longer chapter to make up for it. Enjoy this poor recollection of the Stylo video and me trying to make sense of it. Also, sorry about the change of formatting halfway through the chapter. I wrote this on two different devices on two different word things haha

**10:47 AM, Plastic Beach, three days later**

It had been a day since Murdoc remembered to let him out of the basement he had learned to call home. He slept on one of the couches scattered across the mansion, unwilling to go back down into the hell hole. It was still down there, too, plotting to kill him silently. He knew this very well. The very way it watched him was enough, like a predator stalking its prey. 

The couch he slept on was comfy enough for him to sleep on, despite being as hard as a rock. Stu could literally sleep anywhere, though. He found that sleeping on the couch was the best sleep he'd had since he arrived at Plastic Beach (being gassed and shoved in a suitcase didn't count). 

Stuart opened his black eyes, blinking a few times to adjust to the bright light that shone through the clear plastic windows. He could see the sun high above the vast ocean that stretched further than he could see. He groaned softly and sat up from his awkward sleeping pose, his blue hair messy. He yawned and stretched, then sat there for a moment. Was he allowed to get breakfast? He had eaten last night, but Murdoc was always unpredictable, and he didn't know when the next time he would eat would even be.

Stu decided it would be better to try, and if he got caught, then, well… hopefully it wouldn't come to that.  

He stood up, rubbing his head. It ached slightly, but it was nothing compared to his migraines. He wanted pills to numb it out, but there were currently none on the island that he knew of. 

Familiar footsteps echoed from the hallway. He knew who they belonged to. 

Cyborg entered the room. She studied him, but said nothing. 

“Hey, uh, do ya know if I can get sum breakfas’?” the singer asked. 

She gave a curt nod. “You may. I have been no command saying otherwise as of right now. There is food ready for you in the kitchen.” 

“Oh okay. Thanks.” he said as cyborg exited. “Wait, where's tha’?” he questioned, but she was already gone. 

“Alrigh’ then…” he mumbled to himself. “Guess I'll find it on m’own.” 

Stu shuffled, half asleep, through the doorway, and into the hallway. 

It took him about 30 minutes to find the kitchen. The house had so many rooms, and he ended up going in a circle three times. The entire building was a maze that only Murdoc and Cyborg could navigate. In the hallway outside the kitchen sat a distressed Murdoc, his hair messy and his face aggravated. He was pacing back and forth. Cyborg watched him. 

“Ah, Dents, there ya are. I need ya to come with us right now. Just in case.” Murdoc put on a fake smile. 

“Wh… come where? I ‘aven’t even eaten yet...” Stu mumbled. 

“Just come with me. I brought ya pills, but you can only ‘ave ‘em if ya come.” 

Stuart took his bribe into consideration. “Alrigh’... I'll come. Where are we goin’?”  

Murdoc growled softly. “You'll find out. Jus’ follow us, okay? And no complainin’. Sweet Satan, it's annoying. So don't.” 

“O-okay-” 

“No questionin’ me, either.” 

“Okay.” 

They walked down the hallway together. No one said anything. Eventually, the group reached a high roofed room. The room was warm and humid, and not well ventilated. In the middle of the room was a black submarine, which sat in an indent in the floor that was filled with water, slowly descended into the ocean like a ramp. The waves gently lapped against the white plastic floor.

“Oi, Cyborg, open the hatch.” Murdoc commanded. Cyborg nodded and climbed the ladder on the submarine’s sides, then opened the sub’s entryway by turning a wheel-like latch. She then jumped down into the vessel. Murdoc followed, grunting as he pulled himself up. He wasn’t really in shape. Finally, it was 2D’s turn. The metal felt warm against his palms, probably due to the heat outside. He pulled himself up the steel rungs, his palms burning once he reached the top. He jumped down into the submarine. There was no ladder going down, so he had no other choice. Stuart stumbled as he landed, his head hurt and his feet stung. He’d already had a bit of a headache, taking that fall certainly didn’t help. 

The inside of the submarine was somewhat small, but it was tall enough for everyone to stand up completely. Inside it was even hotter and damper. There was a seat in the front of the sub which was in front of all the controls, and in the back there was a large metal table towards the right that sat against the wall. Murdoc sat down in the chair, stretching his arms and legs and grunting as he did so. Cyborg sat on the table near the back. 

“Alrigh’, can I get the pills now?” Stu asked drowsily, rubbing his head. 

“Fine, take em’.” Murdoc grumbled, throwing the singer a bottle of painkillers. 2D stumbled forward to catch them. “Now will ya shuddup?”

Stuart nodded. 

“Good.” Murdoc pressed a button, causing the sub’s engine to hum. He pressed a few more buttons, and the vessel began to move forward steadily, slowly sliding deeper into the water. 2D sat on the floor near a wall, pill bottle in his hands. He turned the lid and opened the plastic jar. 

“Ay’, there’s only two in ‘ere…” Stuart mumbled, disappointed. 

“I never said I’d give ya a full bottle, tha’ shit gets expensive, ya know? But I do need ta get more, I’ve been havin’ some bad hangovers recently.” 

The sub suddenly lurched forward, then glided forward smoothly. 

“Ah, me must be completely in the water now. Good.” Murdoc spoke to himself. “Off to sunny Australia we go!” 

2D looked out the submarine’s front window. An endless blue surrounded the vessel. Some brightly colored fish swam here and there, but other than that, there was nothing but blue sea for miles and miles. If something went wrong, there was no one to help them. A part of him wished for that, sometimes even going to hell or entering an endless sleep seemed better than the plastic sand, dark eerie waters, and the abuse he endured for so long. 

Stu swallowed the two pills, hoping they would provide some sort of high. Murdoc glanced over at him, having heard the sound of the pills against the plastic bottle, then glanced back towards the ocean in front of him. It was originally going to be a long trip, with Plastic Beach being the most deserted location on Earth, but he had ways around such things. Leaving Plastic Beach all by itself was a bad idea, Murdoc knew, but it was better he loses the island than lose his life. It shouldn’t come to that anyway, the pirates were after him, not the island. Also, he had upgraded the security over the past few days. He had given Cyborg access to the island’s security systems as well. 

In the back, Cyborg was sitting eerily still. Her face was cold and emotionless, but in the submarine’s dim light, she looked even more unhuman somehow. Stuart stared at her, drowsiness creeping in on him slowly. He was unsure exactly why he felt so tired, but he didn’t have the energy to care. His eyelids felt heavy, and he had to struggle to keep them open. The robotic guitarist had turned her attention to him, gazing at him curiously.

Stu tried to ignore her gaze, looking at the floor, then out the window. He quickly glanced back at her, but she was fixated on something else now. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the metal wall, which was cooler now that they were under the water.  His head still hurt. The singer hoped this would be over with soon. 

    **1:09 PM,  Western Australian Outback**

 “Oi, faceache, wake up.” 

 The blue haired man groaned and opened his eyes, his mind cloudy. He was sitting in a car, he realized suddenly. How he had got there, he had no idea. What happened to the submarine? 

 “Finally, yer’ up. You’ve been out for a few hours.” Murdoc informed him, lighting a cigarette. 

 “I...I was?” 2D asked groggily, his headache returning.

 “Yeah…” Murdoc blew out smoke from his cigarette. “I think I gave ya tranquilizer pills or some shit instead of painkillers or somethin’.  Hmmm…I might’ve put ‘em in that bottle to save space.”  He bent down and dug something out of a bag that was by his feet, then grabbed a briefcase and set it in his lap. 

 “Ah, here it is! Take this.” He said, handing 2D a dollar store clown mask with yellow eyes, red lips, and a long blue nose. “You might need it later.” 

Stu grabbed the mask and studied it for a moment, then looked back at Murdoc. Murdoc opened the door and got out of the car, bringing the case with him. He turned to look at 2D, who was putting the mask on his head. “Stay here. I have a meeting to attend to…” The bassist muttered, then closed the door and began to walk away. Cyborg got out of the car and followed him. They were behind the vehicle, walking further and further. Stu turned around to try and see them. About twenty meters away they were both talking with two men, who wore raggedy clothes. Murdoc handed them a briefcase, and they took it. He was given nothing. 

 “Didn’t I ask for something in return? Where is it?” Murdoc asked, frustrated. 

 “Yea, but do you think we have the time or patience ta’ get that for you?” 

 “It was a part of our deal, you fuckasses-”

 “Look,” one of the men rasped, cutting him off. “We’ll stop sabotagin’ you an’ yer little island if ya walk away right now an’ let us keep the money, alright? Maybe we’ll even spare the girl...” 

 “The what? What are you doing to-” 

“Enough questions! Take our deal an’ prosper, or leave it an’ die.”

 Murdoc glanced down at the guns in their hands, then seemed to growl. Cyborg cocked her rifle. “Not now, love.” He said to her, and she lowered her gun. He looked back up at them and scowled. “Fine, take the fuckin’ money, and I’ll leave. C’mon, Noodle. We’re goin’ back home.” 

 He quickly walked away with his fists clenched, making sure to open the car door and get in before they opened the case. He slammed the door behind him, Cyborg following suit and closing the back seat door. 

 “What happened? What’s goin’ on-” Stu was interrupted by the car suddenly lurching forward. Murdoc didn’t respond. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, and he looked tense.  The world around him rushed by in a blur, and the wind blew across his face. Murdoc took a sharp turn to the right, causing 2D to hit his head on the window, which did little to aid his headache. He put his hands on his head.

The car was on a straight road now. Murdoc looked behind him and laughed. “We’ve lost ‘em!” he cheered.  “Soon we’ll be back to our plastic paradise. Not much longer, Noodle.” Murdoc reassured the cyborg, who did not react. Murdoc turned on some music in hopes of lightening the mood. Their fifth track, “Stylo”, which was coincidentally named after Murdoc's favourite car he owned and the one they were in, was the first to come on when he pressed shuffle.

They drove along a strip of road, still going at least 100 kilometers an hour. Murdoc enjoyed the sensation of going fast, and the adrenaline rushing through his body, but he understood the urgency of the situation. He had to get out of here. 2D, however, was unaware of what was going on, he had head in his hands still. The rumble of the car’s engine was loud, and it only fueled the pain he felt in his skull. 

Out of the corner of Murdoc’s eye, he could see they passed a car on the side of the road. He hoped it wasn’t a cop, and was just somebody sitting on the side of the road. Sure enough, sirens could be heard behind them. Murdoc groaned. “Bloody hell, is nothing going right today?!” 

Murdoc sped up, the car behind them still following, it’s sirens blaring. 

2D began mumbling the words to the song, trying to calm himself down and trying to save himself from a panic attack. 

 Cyborg looked out her window at the police car and began shooting at it with her rifle. 

“No! No! Stop it!” Murdoc yelled, but it was a little too late. The police car had spun off the road. Stu glanced behind him, slightly concerned about the officer’s safety. 

“Okay, fine, at least he’s gone.” Murdoc grumbled, not slowing down. 

They passed what looked like a red blur. Murdoc assumed it another car that was just sitting on the side of the road. He glanced in his rearview mirror. It had began following them. He wanted to punch something, but decided that now was not the time. 

Overhead, a large black cloud began to form. 

“Sweet Satan, who else is next!?” Murdoc exclaimed in frustration. 

He glanced in the mirror again. A bullet whizzed past and struck the mirror, shattering it. Another bullet broke into the back window and exited the front, barely missing the bassist. More and more came, shattering windows and leaving holes in the metal car. The back window exploded into a shower of glass. There was a loud crack. 2D glanced behind him warily.  Cyborg was clutching her head. Black ooze began dripping down from under her hair, and sparks of electricity popped and fizzed in the air. She began making strange sounds, her voice distorted, before she collapsed to the floor. 

Murdoc gripped the steering wheel tighter. He could fix that. She wasn’t gone. Not yet. 

Out of his peripheral vision, he could see the red car drawing closer and closer. The next thing he knew, it was right next to him. It was like some sort of battle, the Stylo car was ahead, then the other car, then the Stylo car. The man in the next car Murdoc had seen before, he realized. Where, he was unsure. The mysterious man pulled out a silver shotgun and aimed it at the bassist. Murdoc did the first thing he could think of, and began rolling up his window. He turned the crank desperately, glancing at the road ahead, then at the car beside him. The glass shattered, raining all over him. The bullet had missed him by an inch. He quickly examined 2D. He was unharmed. 

Murdoc knew it wasn’t a great idea, he hadn’t tested it out before, but he decided it was the only way to get them out of this. He pushed one of the car’s levers forward into overdrive. The Stylo car sped forward, leaving the other car behind. Murdoc smirked. 

 Stu grabbed onto his seat. Ahead, he could see the ocean. “Wait! We’re gonna hit the water!” Stu exclaimed. Murdoc tried to turn away, seeming to already know, but the sand they were driving upon made the car difficult to control. It slid right over the edge of the cliff, free falling to the rocky ocean below.


	6. Chapter 6

It seemed to happen in slow motion. The feeling of falling, air rushing past him. He closed his eyes and braced himself. The fall stopped suddenly as the car hit the water, but only for a split second. There was a loud splash, and then the water surrounded him, filling up the car slowly until it was well above his head. 

Maybe this was his release. 

He opened his eyes. He was surrounded by an endless dark blue. The salt stung his eyes, but he didn't care. His lungs burned. Murdoc was beside him, struggling to unbuckle his seatbelt. Cyborg sat dormant in the backseat. 2D closed his eyes. This must be it. 

There was the sound of machinery, the whirr of gears. Everything faded out until there was nothing.  

Stuart opened his eyes. He gasped for air, coughing as it filled his lungs. He blinked several times, his eyes still stinging from the salty water. He was sitting on the floor of the submarine they had came in, the water around him draining. How was this even possible? Was this hell? Or was he still alive? 

“Ah, ya made it. Sorry about the rough exit. He thinks we’re gone for good, so we won't be bothered by those pirates anymore.” Murdoc chirped, sitting down in the submarine’s chair, his clothes soaked and his hat still miraculously on.

“W...wha’ happened? Are we dead?” 2D asked, glancing nervously around the submarine from his spot on the floor. If he was dead, there was no way he was spending eternity with the evil pickle. 

Murdoc looked thoughtful. “Hmmm...No, I don't believe so. Hell looks nothing like this. I would know, I've been there myself.” 

           “But, how did we get ‘ere?” 

“This thing can travel across any of the elements. D’ya really think I would just kill us all like that?” 

“Yeah.” 2D responded, standing up. His legs felt wobbly, and he leaned against the wall for support. His clothes were also soaked, but he still had the mask on top of his head just above his face. 

“What abou’… her?” he asked, looking at the broken machine on the floor. 

“Don't worry about her, I’ll fix ‘er up in a bit. It’s just some water damage and a bullet wound to the head, she’ll be alright. Noodle’s had worse.” Murdoc turned the vessel’s steering mechanism, turning right.

“Tha’s not Noodle.” Stuart said, and whether he said it out of bravery or unintentionally, he did not know. 

Murdoc frowned. “I know, she’s not the original. But she will have to do for now. Now will ya’ stop pointing out the obvious?” he asked in frustration.  

“Sorry.” Stu mumbled, glancing down at the floor. Did he say “for now”? As in the fact that Cyborg Noodle is temporary? Did Murdoc know if Noodle was still alive? He hoped she was. He missed her terribly. Cyborg didn't help, looking at her made him remember. Her looks were where the similarities ended, however. Cyborg Noodle lacked human emotions, and acted like a bodyguard. She was just about everything Noodle didn’t want to become, especially considering her past. Noodle was joyful and wise. She brightened up the world around her. She was what held the band together. 

“Re-routing back to home.” A robotic voice spoke. It wasn’t Cyborg’s, though. 

“No, no. We’re not going there. Not yet.” 

“Turn right in 100-” He pressed a button, and the robotic voice shut off. He pressed another button. There was static. He turned a knob, as if adjusting something and the static cleared gradually. 

“Hello?” he asked. Nothing. “Hellooooo!?” A screen turned on. A face appeared. It was one of the collaborators. 

“Hey, you!” Murdoc asked. 

The person on the screen looked somewhat surprised. “Me?” 

“Yeah, you. I need all of you to help me out here. I have a plan. Write this down now, everyone must know what to do.” 

He nodded, and pulled out a conveniently placed piece of paper and pen.

“I’m sending out a series of search parties all across the Pacific. I want you all to travel in groups of two or three in the submarines I have stored in the room labelled ‘Extra Supplies’. Tell Mr.Dogg that even though he wants to go alone, he should find a buddy, even though he probably won’t listen-” 

“Why are we doing this, though?” 

“We’re looking for Noodle. She’s alive.” 

Stu quickly glanced up at Murdoc, eyes wide. 

“What?!” the collaborator exclaimed. The screen started to glitch. “How-” it cut into static, his face becoming distorted. 

“Hang on, hang on! I’m not done yet!” Murdoc exclaimed. The screen began to slowly return to normal. “Okay… I want you all to keep in touch with me throughout this. Report any important information back to me. When we have looked everywhere we can, we will return to Plastic Beach, hopefully with Noodle amongst us.” 

“How do you know she’s out at sea?” 

“Those pirates are after ‘er. I have a hunch that they have some fondness for the sea. We need to find her before they do.” 

“Okay… I’ll go tell everyone. Wait, do we all search a specific area? Or what?” 

“I’ll send ya a few sets of coordinates when we get done talkin’. You can just distribute them at random to everyone.” 

“Cool. Okay, I’m going for real this time. See ya.” the screen went staticy once more, then cut to black. 

2D was still staring, wide eyed. “...She’s alive?” he said softly, almost in disbelief. 

Murdoc looked at him and smiled. “Of course… I wouldn’t let my guitarist just die, would I?” However, he did too thought she was dead. 

“Wait… were you tha one who… was that…” 2D mumbled, burying his head in his hands as if he was in much pain. He groaned softly. 

“Ah, good ol’ Two Dents, not making sense, as usual.” 

He sat up and looked Murdoc in the eyes. He looked hurt. “Why did you do it?” he asked. 

“Look, I didn’t intend for it to ‘appen like that. That wasn’t me. Those helicopters were supposed to escort her, not send her to Hades. But, when I saw the footage later, I realized, this is perfect for a music video.” 

“You’re insane.” 

“I looked everywhere for her. I began to regret what I’d done. Did you know that? I went through Hell to look for her, quite literally. Don’t make me look like the bad guy. I might be insane, but I would never kill Noodle.” 

2D was quiet for a moment, processing what he had just said. “Why did you make her?” he muttered softly. 

“Well,” Murdoc responded. “We do need a guitarist, don’t we?” 

“You didn’ replace Russel…” the singer murmured, becoming distressed. 

“I did, actually, I ‘ave this drum machine, remember?” the satanist said as if it was nothing, despite the growing frustration in his voice. 

“But-” 

“Just shuddap, will ya?!” he grimaced. 2D flinched. 

“I would’ve replaced you too if I could. But you can’t replace the singer, now I’m stuck with ya. Least you could do is stop talkin’.” 

2D sat back down on the floor. He wrapped his arms around himself and stared down at the floor. Murdoc lit a cigar to calm himself down. He decided that when they were an okay distance away he would put the sub on autopilot and fix Cyborg, who laid motionless on the floor. He’d need to put her on the table in the back to do so. Moving her manually was a pain, she was so heavy, but it was the only way to get her on to the table. 

He pressed a few more buttons on a screen. A map appeared on screen. They were close to exiting Australian waters, which meant they should be safe for a while. He switched autopilot on, and stood up from his chair. Stuart watched him with curiosity as he lifted the cyborg on to the metal table, grunting in response to her weight. There was a thump as she hit the table. 

Murdoc examined the bullet hole carefully. The damage wasn’t too severe, he was just worried about what the water did to her. She was built to withstand water damage, but only on the outside. With the hole in her head water could easily reach all the important mechanical parts. 

“Will she be okay?” the bluenette asked, worry lacing his tone. 

“Yeah, she’ll be alright. It’s just some water damage and a broken wire or two. Or three. Nothing I can’t fix.”

“You sure?” 

“Yes, I’m bloody sure! I built most of her- I can fix her.” he grumbled, clearly irritated. 

“Okay. Sorry.” 2D apologized quickly before falling silent once more. The ride back would be much, much longer than the previous trip. 

 


End file.
